Who doesn't like eating potatoes? Besides being very cheap, potatoes are also very rich in nutrients and have a very delicious taste! Not only that, potatoes can also be processed in hundreds of ways because they have a delicious taste and texture combined with various spices and side dishes. Not good at cooking? Try to cook potatoes the easiest way, which is to bake them in the oven with a little salt. If you prefer a soft potato texture and can be processed into mashed potatoes, try boiling them in salt water until they are soft. Alternatively, you can also fry the potatoes in a pan until they are crispy and brown in color.
Ingredients
Baked Potato
- 1.5 kg of potatoes
- 60 ml olive oil
- 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
For: 8 servings
Simple Boiled Potato
- 450 grams of potatoes
- 1 tsp. salt
- Salt and pepper, to taste
For: 4 servings
Crispy French Fries
- 5 to 6 medium sized potatoes
- 2 to 3 tbsp. (28 to 42 grams) butter
- Salt and pepper, to taste
For: 6 to 8 servings
Step
Method 1 of 3: Baking Potatoes in the Oven
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 204°C
While waiting for the oven to heat up, clean the potatoes with a brush under cold running tap water. First of all, prepare, 1.5 kg of potatoes, then rinse thoroughly until the surface is free of dirt. If necessary, use a special brush to brush the potato skins thoroughly!
In fact, any type of potato can be baked with this method. Starchy potatoes, such as the Russet variety, will have a light, soft texture after baking. Meanwhile, waxy potatoes, such as yellow potatoes or red potatoes, will have a deeper flavor once they are cooked
Step 2. Cut the potatoes to a thickness of 2.5 cm
Use a very sharp knife to cut the potato in half. If using a new, smaller variety of potatoes, stop at this point. Meanwhile, for larger potatoes, continue the cutting process until each potato is only about 2.5 cm thick.
- To make the potato very soft when cooked, try peeling the skin off before slicing.
- Want to make Hasselback-style potatoes? Bake the potatoes whole, but make thin incisions all over the surface. The potatoes should open like a fan and have a crunchy texture when baked.
Tips:
Don't cut the potatoes if you want to make a classic baked potato recipe. Instead, bake the potatoes whole for 50 to 60 minutes.
Step 3. Put the potato wedges in a bowl, then coat the surface with oil and various favorite spices
Once the potatoes are in the bowl, pour in 60 ml of olive oil, 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, and 1 tsp. ground black pepper on it. Then, add various other spices to make the mashed potato taste more unique. Some options worth checking out are:
- 2 tbsp. minced garlic
- 1 tsp. curry powder
- 1 tbsp. garlic powder
- 1 tbsp. smoked peppers
Step 4. Arrange the potatoes on the baking sheet, then place the pan in the preheated oven
Make sure the potato wedges are laid out in a single layer that doesn't overlap each other so that they are cooked and crispy more evenly!
To make cleaning easier, line the surface with a piece of parchment paper first
Step 5. Bake the potatoes for 30 minutes, then flip to cook the other side
Bake one side of the potato until the surface looks crisp. After that, put on heat-resistant gloves, then flip the potatoes with the help of a spatula to cook the other side.
The potatoes should make a hissing sound when they release moisture in a very hot oven
Step 6. Continue to bake the potatoes for 15 to 30 minutes
Let the potatoes sit until the surface turns brown and the texture is really soft. To check for doneness, try poking the inside with a fork or wooden skewer. If the process goes without any major difficulties, then the potatoes are completely cooked and ready to serve.
Step 7. Remove the baked potato from the oven and sprinkle the top with chopped parsley
Turn off the oven and carefully remove the pan. After that, sprinkle 2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley onto the surface of the potatoes, and serve the baked potatoes warm.
- Substitute parsley with another favorite fresh herb. For example, you can use chopped rosemary, sage, or oregano.
- Leftover potatoes can be placed in an airtight container and stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Tips:
If you want to serve potatoes with a creamier texture, try sprinkling the surface with grated parmesan or cheddar cheese. Supposedly, the hot temperature of the potatoes will make the cheese melt.
Method 2 of 3: Boiling Potatoes
Step 1. Wash 450 grams of potatoes thoroughly and peel off the skin, if desired
First, rinse the potatoes under running tap water while brushing the surface to remove any adhering dirt. Then, peel the potatoes with a special tool if you want to produce a soft boiled potato texture and can be processed into mashed potatoes.
Use any type of potato. For example, you can use starchy potatoes, such as the Russet variety, which will be softer when ripe. Alternatively, you can also use red or yellow potatoes for a deeper flavour
Step 2. Leave the potatoes whole if they are going to be mashed later, or cut the potatoes into 2.5 cm thick slices
Think about whether to cut the potatoes or leave them whole. If later the potatoes will be processed into lettuce or if they are too large, please cut them first.
- Remember, large potatoes will take longer to cook than diced potatoes.
- To save time, there is no need to peel the skin of the potatoes that will later be mashed.
Step 3. Put the potatoes in a saucepan, then cover the surface with cold water
Transfer the whole potato or potato chunks to a saucepan and pour enough water to cover the potatoes to a depth of 2.5 cm. Put the pan on the stove.
Make sure you only use cold water to allow the potatoes to cook more evenly. If you use hot water, the outside of the potatoes will cook faster and will have a sticky texture
Tips:
If the potatoes are going to be used as a soup mix, you can immediately add the potato pieces to the broth or soup and boil them until they are soft.
Step 4. Pour 1 teaspoon of salt, then turn on the stove over high heat
Stir the salt until it is completely dissolved in the water, then open the lid and turn the stove on over high heat. Bring the water to a boil until large, active bubbles appear.
To enrich the taste of the potatoes, you can add half a clove of garlic and 1 bay leaf to the water, or boil the potatoes in chicken stock
Step 5. Boil the potatoes without covering the pot for 15 to 25 minutes
Once the water boils, reduce the heat until the bubbles reduce in size. Then, boil the potatoes until they are really soft and the center is easy to pierce with a fork or wooden skewer.
- The boiling time required depends on the size of the potatoes. Generally, diced potatoes that are 2.5 cm thick will need to boil for 15 minutes, while whole potatoes will take about 25 minutes to cook.
- No need to stir the boiled potatoes.
Step 6. Drain the boiled potato water over the sink
First, place the hollow basket in the sink. Then, put on heat-resistant gloves and hold the pot of boiled potatoes. After that, slowly pour the potatoes into the basket with holes until all the cooking water flows into the drain hole. Then, transfer the potatoes to a serving plate or bowl.
If you don't have too many boiled potatoes, you can scoop them straight out of the pot with a slotted spoon
Step 7. Serve boiled or mashed potatoes until smooth
Before serving, potatoes can be seasoned with a little butter and salt. To process them into mashed potatoes, you can mash the boiled potatoes, then mix them with milk and cream. Voila, a delicious bowl of boiled potatoes is ready to eat!
- Potatoes can also be refrigerated and processed into potato salad at a later date.
- If stored in an airtight container and refrigerated, boiled potatoes can last up to 5 days.
Tips:
To enrich the taste of mashed potatoes, you can add sliced bakon that is fried until dry, cheddar cheese, and chopped chives to taste.
Method 3 of 3: Deep Frying Potatoes
Step 1. Wash the potatoes thoroughly and dry them well
First, run 5 to 6 medium-sized potatoes under running tap water while brushing to remove any dirt stuck to the skin. Then, dry the potatoes with a cloth or kitchen paper until the water is completely drained. Remember, potatoes that are too moist can end up steaming instead of frying to a crisp.
Use your favorite type of potato. If you're using a large Russet potato, you'll likely only need to prepare 2 to 3 whole potatoes, especially since they are larger than most yellow or red potatoes
Step 2. Don't peel the skin to make the potato look simpler, or even to retain its nutrients
However, you can also peel the potato skins if you want a lighter, crunchier texture.
Because yellow and red potatoes have thinner skins, the final result after frying will be crispier than potatoes that are more starchy
Step 3. Dice, slice, or grate the potatoes until they are smaller in size
To process potatoes into hashbrown, grate the potato pieces in the opposite direction with a coarse grater. If you want, you can also slice the potatoes lengthwise using a knife to a thickness of 0.6 cm. Alternatively, you can also dice the potatoes to a thickness of 1.3 cm.
Be careful when slicing the potatoes so you don't cut your hands with the very sharp blade
Tips:
To make classic french fries, slice the potatoes lengthwise and fry them in plenty of oil on the stove until they are crispy.
Step 4. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat
First of all, add 2 to 3 tbsp. butter in a skillet, then turn on the stove over medium heat. Allow the butter to completely melt, then gently shake the pan so that the entire surface is well coated with the butter.
If you want, you can also saute the french fries with paprika or mushrooms for a hearty breakfast plate
Tips:
If you want to fry the onions with potatoes, add the butter along with 1/2 of the onion. Sauté the onions for 5 to 10 minutes before adding the potatoes.
Step 5. Put the potatoes in the pan, then season with salt and pepper to taste
Arrange the potatoes so that they are evenly distributed and do not overlap each other on the surface of the pan. Then, sprinkle the surface with as much salt and pepper as you like.
- If you want to double the recipe, cook the potatoes gradually.
- If you want, you can also season the potatoes with a mixture of salt and garlic powder or onion powder.
Step 6. Cover the pan and fry the potatoes for 15 to 20 minutes
Make sure the potatoes are fried in a closed condition so that the texture softens faster. After the recommended time has elapsed, put on heat-resistant gloves, then open the pan and stir the potatoes every 3 to 5 minutes to allow them to cook more evenly.
Use a flat spatula or spoon to stir the potatoes
Step 7. Continue the process of frying the potatoes open for 5 to 10 minutes
Once the potato has softened, remove the lid from the pan and continue the frying process until the surface is as crisp as you want it. Then, turn off the heat and season the potatoes with more salt and pepper.
- Remember, the potatoes need to be stirred constantly so they don't burn on one side.
- Place leftover potatoes in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Tips
- To shorten the cooking time, cut the potatoes into smaller pieces. This way, potatoes will cook faster when baked, boiled, or fried.
- Cook potatoes immediately after cutting! The oxidation process that occurs can make the color of the potatoes turn brown within a few hours after exposure to fresh air.
